Ocland
Encyclopedia
Ocland is a commune in Harghita County
, Romania
. It lies in the Székely Land
, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania
.
The commune is composed of three villages:
The villages were part of the Székely Land
region of the historical Transylvania
province. They belonged to Udvarhelyszék district until the administrative reform of Transylvania in 1876, when they fell within the Homoród district of Udvarhely County in the Kingdom of Hungary
. Oklánd was the district seat until after WWII. After the Treaty of Trianon
of 1920, they became part of Romania
and fell within Odorhei County
during the interwar period. In 1940, the second Vienna Award
granted the Northern Transylvania
to Hungary and the villages were held by Hungary until 1944. After Soviet occupation, the Romanian administration returned and the commune officially became part of Romania again in 1947. Between 1952 and 1960, the commune fell within the Magyar Autonomous Region, and between 1960 and 1968 the Mureş-Magyar Autonomous Region. In 1968, the autonomous region was abolished, and since then, the commune has been part of Harghita County.
) majority. According to the 2002 census, it has a population of 1,403 of which 98.36% or 1,380 are Hungarian.
, Hungary
Cserépfalu
, Hungary
Karácsond, Hungary
Harghita County
Harghita is a county in the center of Romania, in eastern Transylvania, with the county seat at Miercurea-Ciuc.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 326,222 and a population density of 52/km².*Hungarians- 85%...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. It lies in the Székely Land
Székely Land
The Székely Land or Szekler Land refers to the territories inhabited mainly by the Székely, a Hungarian-speaking ethnic group from eastern Transylvania...
, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
.
The commune is composed of three villages:
- Crăciunel / Karácsonyfalva
- Ocland / Oklánd
- Satu Nou / Homoródújfalu
History
Ocland was first recorded in 1546 as Akland, and in 1550 as Okland. The name Karácsonyfalva was first recorded in 1333 in a tithe register when a priest of Karachni was mentioned. In 1453, reference was made of Peter, son of Michael, of Karachonfalwa. Its Romanian name derives from the Hungarian and historically it was Crăciunfăleni. The name of Homoródújfalu was first recorded in 1481 in the form of Wijfalw, in 1861 it was called officially Homoród-Ujfalu. The Romanian name was originally Homorod-Uifalău which was changed to the current official form after WWI.The villages were part of the Székely Land
Székely Land
The Székely Land or Szekler Land refers to the territories inhabited mainly by the Székely, a Hungarian-speaking ethnic group from eastern Transylvania...
region of the historical Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
province. They belonged to Udvarhelyszék district until the administrative reform of Transylvania in 1876, when they fell within the Homoród district of Udvarhely County in the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
. Oklánd was the district seat until after WWII. After the Treaty of Trianon
Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon was the peace agreement signed in 1920, at the end of World War I, between the Allies of World War I and Hungary . The treaty greatly redefined and reduced Hungary's borders. From its borders before World War I, it lost 72% of its territory, which was reduced from to...
of 1920, they became part of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and fell within Odorhei County
Odorhei County
Odorhei was a county in the Kingdom of Romania. The county seat was Odorheiu Secuiesc.-Geography:Odorhei County covered 2,977 km2 and was located in central part of Greater Romania, in Transylvania. Currently, the territory that comprised the greater part of Odorhei County is now part of Harghita...
during the interwar period. In 1940, the second Vienna Award
Second Vienna Award
The Second Vienna Award was the second of two Vienna Awards arbitrated by the Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Rendered on August 30, 1940, it re-assigned the territory of Northern Transylvania from Romania to Hungary.-Prelude and historical background :After the World War I, the multi-ethnic...
granted the Northern Transylvania
Northern Transylvania
Northern Transylvania is a region of Transylvania, situated within the territory of Romania. The population is largely composed of both ethnic Romanians and Hungarians, and the region has been part of Romania since 1918 . During World War II, as a consequence of the territorial agreement known as...
to Hungary and the villages were held by Hungary until 1944. After Soviet occupation, the Romanian administration returned and the commune officially became part of Romania again in 1947. Between 1952 and 1960, the commune fell within the Magyar Autonomous Region, and between 1960 and 1968 the Mureş-Magyar Autonomous Region. In 1968, the autonomous region was abolished, and since then, the commune has been part of Harghita County.
Demographics
The commune has a Hungarian (SzékelySzékely
The Székelys or Székely , sometimes also referred to as Szeklers , are a subgroup of the Hungarian people living mostly in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania, Romania...
) majority. According to the 2002 census, it has a population of 1,403 of which 98.36% or 1,380 are Hungarian.
Ocland
- The ramparts of the watchtower of a Roman castrum, called by locals as Hagymás castle, can still be seen in the saddle of the Mogyorós and Szilas creeks.
- The Kustaly Castle is located east of the village. It was built in the 11th - 12th centuries as part of the HungarianKingdom of HungaryThe Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
border defence system. - The UnitarianUnitarianismUnitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
church of the village is from the RomanesqueRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
era and was altered around the turn of the 16th century in late GothicGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style. It received its current form by the constructions works made in 1938.
Crăciunel
- The Unitarian Church. Medieval fresco scenes cover 100 square meters and show the legend of Ladislaus I of Hungary, the birth of Jesus, the homage of the Three Kings, Empress Saint Helen. It has a unique coffered ceiling, painted furniture, sanctuary dating from the Árpád DynastyÁrpád dynastyThe Árpáds or Arpads was the ruling dynasty of the federation of the Hungarian tribes and of the Kingdom of Hungary . The dynasty was named after Grand Prince Árpád who was the head of the tribal federation when the Magyars occupied the Carpathian Basin, circa 895...
of medieval HungaryKingdom of HungaryThe Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
. The church was already mentioned in 1333. The construction of the gate on the southern side and the enlargement of the windows are thought to have been made in the 14th century. The western gate decorated with a relief representing the Agnus Dei was built in 1496 at the same time with the robust church tower. A SzékelyOld Hungarian scriptThe Old Hungarian script is an alphabetic writing system used by the Hungarians before the Middle Ages...
runic inscriptions was found in the wall of the tower. The meaning of the old HungarianHungarian languageHungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
script is still not definitely solved. - The monument of Queen Elisabeth of HungaryElisabeth of BavariaElisabeth of Austria was the spouse of Franz Joseph I, and therefore both Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. She also held the titles of Queen of Bohemia and Croatia, among others...
was erected outside the wall of the Unitarian church in 1904. - The Roman Catholic church was built in the 18th century, its altar, however, is from the 17th century and it is thought to preserve components from the pre-Reformation era.
Twinnings
The commune is twinned with CsanádalbertiCsanádalberti
Csanádalberti is a village in Csongrád county, in the Southern Great Plain region of southern Hungary.-Geography:It covers an area of and has a population of 507 people ....
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
Cserépfalu
Cserépfalu
- External links :*...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
Karácsond, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...